Locking device



Feb. 22, 1949. COHEN 2,462,164

' LOCKING DEVICE Filed May 16, 1945 h 75 ii 19 INVENTOR. Hare 1d 0071 e 21/ witnesses Patented Feb. 22, 1949 UNITED STATES ATENT ()FFICE 2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to the construction of towers, masts and the like, and has especial reference to devices for securing or connecting to each other in a desired manner the main structural sections of a structure of the character mentioned, and to provide means for guying said structure.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of improved devices of the indi cated character for the purposes stated.

A further object is the provision of a device for connecting structural components quickly and easily, and which device is composed of parts capable of interlocking with said structural components against unintentional separation of the parts of the device and the structural components connected thereby.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention resides in the combination, ar-

rangement and construction of the parts hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational View I showing a plurality of the devices of the present invention in use, certain parts being shown in section.

Fig, 2 is a side elevational view of the parts shown in Fig. 1 looking toward the same from the right side of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the parts as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an exploded view of the parts of one of the interlocking devices.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, it will be apparent from Figs. 1, 2 and 3, there are shown structural components it! and H. These components consist of sections or members which when connected constitute an upright, leg or support of a mast, tower or other analogous structures. In the present instance, by way of. example, the components or members I!) and H are pieces of metal pipe or tubing, the member if! being smaller in diameter than the diameter of the member I! so that the members may be telescoped as shown. The members l and II are secured or connected in the telescopic relation by two of the devices of the present invention, there being one such device arranged at a right angle to the other device. Since the devices are similar a description of one will sufiice for both. I

On reference to Fig. 4 it will be seen a device of the present invention consists of three main parts l2, l3 and M, respectively. The parts require a suitable fastener such as the bolt and nut l5. The part 12 is of T formation and consists of a cross-bar I6, and an abutment l1 welded as at 18, or otherwise rigidly secured thereto'on one end thereof. The abutment ll has a hole 19 in the lower end portion making provision for the attachment of a guy line or stay. The cross-bar I6 is non-circular in cross section with a longitudinal slot 20 therein near the other pointed end 21. The part l3 of flat stock is tapered or wedge shape and approximates the dimensions of the abutment H. The lower or small end portion of the part I3 has a hole 22 therein. -The part 13 is in the nature of a key and is receivable in the slot 20 to set up a Wedging and clamping action in cooperation with the abutment H. The part I4 is of flat stock rectangular in outline to provide contact surfaces 23 and 24, respectively. The part M has an oblique slot 25 therein for registry with the hole 22 to accommodate the fastener l5.

The part I2 is employed by disposing the crossbar 16 through the telescoped structural members Ill and H, it being understood that such members have pairs of holes therein, diametrically opposite each other, for the aforesaid purpose. A pair of such holes appear in Fig. 1 and are designated 26. The cross-bar I6 is long enough to project beyond the member H to expose the slot 20. The key or wedge shape part 53 is inserted downwardly into the slot 20, thereby cooperating with the outer end wall of the slot and the member H to draw the abutment I1 in clamping engagement with the member H. The part It is laid against the lower end portion of the key l3 so that a portion of the slot 25 registers with the hole 22 to accommodate the bolt l5 and its nut. The contact surfaces 23 and 24 abut the cross-bar l6 and member I l,respectively, thus preventing the key l3 from working upwardly out of engagement with the cross-bar. In fact any tendency of the key I3 to move upwardly will cause the bolt 15 to act on one of the oblique walls of the slot 25 and so cause a tighter interlocking engagement of the parts of the device.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that the device of thepresent invention serves adequately for connecting structural components and also providing means for the use of guy lines or stays. In practice the guy lines or stays are not applied at all points of connection of the sections of a complete mast. Hence, the use of the locking member It and fastener I5 in conjunction with a removable wedge shape key constitute means to prevent the unintentional separation of the parts in use.

2,462,164 I l l I claim:

1. A structure including structural sections in overlapping relation, and a securing device to hold said sections extended in the overlapped relation, said device comprising a bar extending crosswise through said sections, said bar having a longitudinal slot therein near one end thereof, a wedge shape member disposed in said slot and bearing on one of saidnsections, the small end of said wedge shape member having a hole therein, a locking member having a slot therein, and a fastener extending through the hole in the wedge shape member and the slot in the locking member to hold the wedge shape member in place.

2. A structure as set forth in c1aim.1,. wherein 15 the locking member is rectangular and the slot therein is disposed obliquely. Y 7

HAROLD COHEN.

- 4 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 703,925 Horsley July '1, 1902 909,575 Fothergill Jan. 12, 1909 1,025;676 Brewer May 7, 1912 2,406,668 Cohen -1 Aug. 27, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 24242 Great Britain Dec. 16, 1893 

